Wildlife & Birdwatching

We are the perfect location for a wildlife holiday, if birdwatching is your passion you could not wish for more. The cottages are on the edge of salt marsh in one of the most important wading bird habitats in the UK. It is also a place where as the weather gets colder the wildlife gets better. The area attracts a quarter of a million wading birds, ducks and geese.

A short walk from the cottages is a sea wall walk looking over a large area of inter tidal zone. Also very close by are Pilling Marsh which supports one of the biggest trans-migrant and over wintering populations of wading birds in Britain. Has been designated a Ramsar wetlands site and also a (SSSI). Just up the road is Glasson Dock and the southern shore of the Lune estuary. Following the Lune inland a short distance are Aldcliffe and Freemans Pools an area of marsh and pools adjacent to the Lune there is a regular blog about sightings in this area Aldcliffe and Freemans Pools. A short detour through Lancaster will give you access to Heysham Nature Reserve with. open water, reedbed, marsh, scrub, acid and neutral grasslands, heath and tree and shrub plantations plus Dragonflies and damselflies, Heysham-Nature-Reserve.pdf

If you can pull yourself away from the delights on your doorstep then a short distance away are many hot spots you could visit. At Patty's Barn you are in the envious position of being close to a many different habitats. To the east are the moors and rich valleys of the Forest of Bowland home to its flagship species the Hen Harrier, but with much more to see with its wader breeding grounds and large brown hare population. The extensive heather moorlands of the fells are exceptionally important as a habitat for upland birds and have been designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Birds Directive in recognition of this.

To the north is Silverdale and Arnside AONB any one of its hotspots are worth a stay at Patty's barn. The jewel in the crown must be Leighton Moss home to the Hen Harriers cousin the Marsh Harrier but you are guaranteed to see something special whenever you visit.

This RSPB Reserve is the largest reedbed in north-west England, and home to some really special birds such as breeding bitterns and bearded tits. During the Spring and Autumn migrations Ospreys often drop in for a bit of refueling . You might see deer too, otters if you are lucky and dragonflies and butterflies aplenty! There are trails and hides, most of which are suitable for wheelchairs, getting you right to the heart of the reedbeds. there is also a nature trail alongside two coastal lagoons where you can see lots of wading and water birds. Leighton Moss also has a fantastic cafe where you can get a hot meal or have a coffee and one of their lovely cakes or puds. here is also a well stocked shop selling wildlife guides, gifts and binoculars.

Arnside & Silverdale is an extraordinary place amazingly rich in wildlife, both fauna and flora - birds, butterflies, bats, orchids, ferns, wildflowers and a huge diversity of special habitats ranging from reedbeds to ancient woodlands to the expanses of Morecambe Bay. There are lots of lovely walks in breathtakingly beautiful scenery. The large areas of woodland on Limestone being particularly good for butterflies. Most of the best habitat is within nature reserves or other protected areas and has probably has the highest concentration of land managed for wildlife in the country.